Pneumatic water pump



Dec. 12, 1967 M. J. E. GOLAY 3,357,365

PNEUMATIC WATER PUMP Filed Sept. 20, 1965 INVENTOR United States PatentOfiiice 3,357,365 Patented Dec. 12, 1967 3,357,365 PNEUMATIC WATER PUMPMarcel J. E. Golay, 116 Ridge Road, Rumson, NJ. 07760 Filed Sept. 20,1965, Ser. No. 488,404 1 Claim. (Cl. 103-236) This invention relates towater pumps and more specifically to a novel and improved pneumaticwater pump operable in conjunction with a vacuum cleaner or othersuction device functioning as the energy source.

Although the pump in accordance with the invention is useful in a widevariety of applications, it is particularly adaptable for domestic usenamely the removal of water in basements and other similar areas causedby occasional heavy rains, melting snow and the like which do notnecessitate the expense of permanent installations such as immersiblepumps. With this invention a conventional vacuum cleaner may be employedas the suction source to lift the water and deposit it into a bucket orother container. By utilizing a number of containers, water can beremoved substantially continuously, since a filled container can beremoved from the flooded area while a second container is being filled.

Accordingly, one object of the invention resides in the provision of anovel and improved water pump characterized by its ease of operation,low cost, and efliciency. 7 Another object of the invention resides inthe provision of a novel and improved pneumatic water pump utilizing asource of vacuum such as a conventional vacuum cleaner to transfer waterfrom a shallow flooded area to a bucket for removal.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of anovel and improved vacuum operated water pump embodying improved controlmeans to interrupt the vacuum when the water in the bucket or containerhas attained a certain level.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of anovel and improved water pump.

The above and other objects of the invention will become more apparentfrom the following description and accompanying drawings forming part ofthis application.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a cross sectional view of a pneumatic water pump inaccordance with the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary view of the structure shown in FIGURE 1,illustrating the control valve in an open position.

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view of FIGURE 1 taken along the line 33thereof.

FIGURE 4 is a bottom view of one embodiment of a water pickup headviewed in the direction of the arrows 44.

The removal of water from basements and other similar areas is usuallyaccomplished by providing a sump in the basement floor to collect thewater which is then removed by an immersible pump mounted in the sump.This is a relatively expensive installation and when flooding isexperienced only occasionally, the cost of such installation is usuallynot warranted. This invention provides an economical pump for waterremoval which involves the transfer of water to buckets for removal andmay be powered by a conventional vacuum cleaner of the type designed fordomestic use. The pump in accordance with the invention is relativelyinexpensive, and its simplicity and lightness of weight makes itconvenient to use and avoids the need for a permanent water pumpinstallation.

Referring now to the drawings, the pump in accordance with the inventionis generally denoted by the numeral v and comprises a bucket orcontainer 11 and a cover 12, the latter being provided with water andvacuum connections.

More specifically the cover 12 which in the instant embodiment of theinvention is slightly convex, has an outwardly extending peripheralflange 13, a downwardly extending skirt 14 and a soft rubber gasket 15which is cemented to the peripheral flange 13 and the skirt 14. Thegasket 15 cooperates with the rolled upper edge 16 of the bucket 11 toprovide an air-tight seal. The cover 12 is further provided with avacuum conduit .17 which is secured to the cover at 18 by welding orother suitable means to provide an air-tight connection. The outer end19 of the conduit 17 is slightly flared to receive the tubular end 20 ofa conventional vacuum cleaner hose 21, the other end of the hose beingattached to a conventional vacuum cleaner 22.

A water inlet conduit 23 extends through the cover 12 at a point spacedfrom the vacuum conduit 17. In the instant embodiment of the inventionthe water inlet conduit 23 is L-s-haped with the vertical portion 24extending through a flanged opening 25 in the cover. The conduit portion23 is preferably sealed to the flanged opening 25 by welding or othersuitable means to provide an air-tight seal. If desired, the lower endportion 26 of the water inlet conduit 23 may be of a slightly smallerdiameter than the conduit to accommodate a flexible hose 27 extendingdownwardly into the bucket 11. The water pickup hose generally denotedby the numeral 28 may be a conventional rubber hose or may be in theform of a multi-channeled hose as illustrated. The multi-channeled hosehas an advantage in that it provides two separate inlet channels. Withthis arrangement, should the surface from which the water is beingremoved be somewhat uneven and cause admission of air into one of thechannels, the other channel will continue to function to withdraw waterand deposit it into the bucket. More specifically the hose 28 has atleast one Wall 29 extending throughout the length of the hose, whichterminates in a flared water pickup member 30. The member 30 has a pairof diametral partitions 31 and 32, dividing the water pickup member 30into four separate water pickup areas A, B, C, and D. The areas A and Bcommunicate with the hose channel 28a, while the areas C and Dcommunicate with the hose channel 28b. The illustrated form of the Waterpickup hose 28 is most efiective in the removal of water under shallowflooding conditions, though it has also been found that a conventionalvacuum cleaner hose with a conventional head of the type used forcleaning rugs also provides effective water pickup means and will removesubstantially all of the water from the surface and will leave only avery thin film of moisture.

The vacuum control means to regulate the water level in the bucket orcontainer 11 is generally denoted by the numeral 33. It comprises avalve 34 loosely mounted in a central opening 35 in the cover 12, theopening having an upwardly extending peripheral flange 36. The valve 34has an enlarged head portion 37 and a downwardly extending tubularmember 38 secured to the head portion. The head 37 has a peripheralrecess 39 containing a rubber gasket 40 which cooperates with the upperedge of the flange 36 to provide an air-tight seal. A spring 41 extendsinto the tubular element 38 and is preferably secured therein. The lowerend of the spring 41 is secured to a float lever 42 pivoted at 43 to abracket 44 carried by the cover 12. The outer or free end of the lever42 carries a rectangular float 45. This float 45 is raised by the waterlevel in the bucket 11 and in turn compresses the spring 41. After thespring has been compressed a predetermined degree, sufficient force willbe exerted on the valve head 37 to crack the seal. Once the seal isbroken the spring will immediately expand to lift the valve to a 3 1fully open position as shown in FIGURE 2. This interrupts the pumpingaction and permits the cover 12 to be removed from the container 11 andrepositioned on an empty container.

In order to protect the float 45 from damage the cover 12 may beprovided with a peripheral skirt 46 which fits inside the container 11.A protective closure 47, having a bottom opening, surrounds the float 45and is carried by a horizontal bracket 48 secured to the cover 12. Thefloat rod extends through a slot 49 in one wall of the protectiveclosure 47 to limitthe downward movement of the float 45 so that it willnot fall below the protective closure 47 and will be clearly above thelower edge of the peripheral skirt 46. In this way the cover can beplaced on the floor or other surface without damaging the float or othermoving parts.

From the foregoing it is evident that the vacuum pump in accordance withthe invention provides a dependable,

relatively inexpensive and easily operable device for the removal ofwater from basements and other. similar areas and avoids the need forexpensive permanent installations when only occasionally flooding .isexperienced. By hav ing a plurality of containers 11 the cover assembly12 can. be readily shifted from one container to the next so that thepump can be continued as the filled containers are removed and emptied.

While only certain embodiment of the invention have been illustrated anddescribed, it is apparent that alterations, modifications and changesmay be made without departing from the true scope and spirit thereof asdefined by the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A vacuum operated liquid pump comprising a cover adapted to be removablycarried by a container for receiving and holding the liquid beingpumped, tubular means carried on the upper side of said cover andcommunicating with the underside thereof, said tubular means adapted toreceive a vacuum conduit for evacuating said container, a water inletconduit on said cover, an air inlet valve mounted on said cover, a floatcarried by and movable relative to said cover, and mechanical meansdirectly coupling said float to said valve, said float and mechanicalmeans storing energy as water is drawn into said container and rises toa level engaging said float, the weight of said float when the waterlevel in the container is below said float holding said valve in theclosed position, said vacuum being the sole sealing force for said coverand said vacuum sealing said cover to said container and drawing waterinto said container through said water inlet conduit, and said waterlevel upon reaching the level of the float reacting therewith to eflectthe storage of energy until the force exerted exceeds the force of saidvacuum holding the valve in the closed position whereupon said valvewill be forced open rapidlydissipating the stored energy and therebyterminating the pumping operation and enabling removal of said cover fordisposal of the pumped water.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 402,178 4/1889 Miller l03-2361,374,808 4/1921 Bethune 103-236 1,437,916 12/1922 Shelor 103--2361,542,509 6/1925 Kueny 103-236 1,893,066 1/1933 Zellhoefer 103-'2482,207,318 7/1940 Gollner 103-248 2,280,140 4/1942 Wilson 1381112,733,667 2/1956 Hill 103248 HENRY F. RADUAZO, Primary Examiner. DONLEYJ. STOCKING, Examiner.

W. J. KRAUSS, Assistant Examiner.

